MCD polls: AAP MLA questioned by ACB in cash for ticket case

On Wednesday, the ACB had announced that it arrested Tripathi’s brother-in-law Om Singh, his personal assistant Shiv Shankar Pandey and a third person identified as Prince Raghuvanshi for allegedly taking money from a north Delhi businessman and promising his wife a ticket in the civic polls

The anti-corruption branch (ACB) on Friday questioned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Wazirpur legislator Rajesh Gupta for nearly seven hours at the agency’s headquarters in connection with the arrest of three men who allegedly took a bribe on behalf of fellow MLA Akhilesh Tripathi in exchange for party tickets ahead of the crucial municipal corporation elections scheduled for December 4.

ACB arrested three men, including a relative and a personal assistant of AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, for allegedly taking money on his behalf from a party worker on the pretext of ensuring a ticket for the civic body elections. (PTI)

The ACB had questioned Tripathi, the Model Town legislator, on Thursday.

“We have questioned the two MLAs and are continuing with the probe. They may be summoned again. We have got CCTV footage of the place where the cash was handed to one of the arrested men in north Delhi,” an investigating officer, aware of the probe said.

On Wednesday, the ACB had announced that it arrested Tripathi’s brother-in-law Om Singh, his personal assistant Shiv Shankar Pandey and a third person identified as Prince Raghuvanshi for allegedly taking money from a north Delhi businessman and promising his wife a ticket in the civic polls. The name of MLA Gupta had also cropped up in connection with the case, investigators had said.

After the arrests, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had defended the AAP and said it passed a test thrown at it.

“Even if someone exchanges money for an AAP ticket, the allocation process is not affected. someone paid money, but they still could not get a party ticket. I see a silver lining in it, and AAP has passed this test. This is solid proof that money does not have any impact in the functioning of AAP,” he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the resignation of the two lawmakers linked to the case.

“They (AAP) stand exposed after the arrest of Tripathi’s brother-in-law with cash. They used to accuse BJP, but today it has been proven that (chief minister Arvind) Kejriwal sold tickets for the corporation elections. He should immediately expel Tripathi and Gupta from the AAP,” said Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta.